U.S. patent application number 10/254452 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-24 for communication apparatus and control method therefor, information apparatus and control method therefor, communication system, and control programs.
Invention is credited to Bannai, Yuichi, Kurosawa, Takahiro.
Application Number | 20030078038 10/254452 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19121525 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030078038 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kurosawa, Takahiro ; et
al. |
April 24, 2003 |
Communication apparatus and control method therefor, information
apparatus and control method therefor, communication system, and
control programs
Abstract
There is provided a communication apparatus which makes it
possible to properly process data acquired by an external device
even if the data is difficult to process by the external device
that acquired the data. Information is acquired from an external
apparatus by communication. It is determined whether the acquired
information is suitable for processing by the communication
apparatus. Processing of information determined to be unsuitable
for processing by the communication apparatus is delegated to an
information apparatus.
Inventors: |
Kurosawa, Takahiro; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Bannai, Yuichi; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSSI & ASSOCIATES
P.O. Box 826
Ashburn
VA
20146-0826
US
|
Family ID: |
19121525 |
Appl. No.: |
10/254452 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/422.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/4938 20130101;
H04W 88/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/422 ;
455/414 |
International
Class: |
H04M 003/42; H04Q
007/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 28, 2001 |
JP |
2001-301048 (PAT. |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A communication apparatus comprising: an acquiring device that
acquires information from an external apparatus by communication; a
determination device that determines whether the information
acquired by said acquiring device is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus; and a delegation device that delegates
processing of information determined by said determination device
to be unsuitable for processing by the communication apparatus to
an information apparatus.
2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises
a portable telephone terminal.
3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
acquiring device acquires information managed by a server on a
network.
4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines whether the information acquired by
said acquiring device is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus by comparing a size of display required by
the information with a size of a display screen of the
communication apparatus.
5. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines the information acquired by said
acquiring device to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, if a processing amount of the information
is greater than a predetermined amount.
6. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines the information acquired by said
acquiring device to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, if the information is encrypted with an
encryption system that is not provided on the communication
apparatus.
7. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines the information acquired by said
acquiring device to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, if the information is to be processed with
plug-in software that is not provided on the communication
apparatus.
8. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines whether the information acquired by
said acquiring device is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, according to at least one of a data format
and an extension of the information.
9. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
determination device determines whether the information acquired by
said acquiring device is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, according to a result of analysis of
contents of the information.
10. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
delegation device delegates processing of a part of the information
acquired by said acquiring device to the information apparatus, if
the part of the information is determined by said determination
device to be unsuitable for processing by the communication
apparatus.
11. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
delegation device is responsive to a result of the determination by
said determination device that the information acquired by said
acquiring device is unsuitable for processing by the communication
apparatus, for storing the information and displaying the result of
the determination, and for delegating processing of the information
to the information apparatus after an instruction to delegate the
processing is given.
12. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
delegation device delegates at least one parameter for processing
the information acquired by said acquiring device together with the
information to the information apparatus to delegate processing of
the information.
13. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
delegation device includes a designation device that designates the
information apparatus as a delegate destination.
14. A communication apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said
designation device designates the information apparatus as a
delegate destination according to determination conditions applied
for the determination by said determination device.
15. A communication apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said
designation device carries out the designation using a table in
which candidates for the information apparatus as a delegate
destination is registered in correspondence to determination
conditions to be applied for the determination by said
determination device.
16. A communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said
designation device includes an updating device that updates
contents of registration of the table.
17. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
communication apparatus comprises an instruction device that
instructs the information apparatus to process the information
after said delegation device delegates processing of the
information to the information apparatus.
18. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said determination device and said delegation device
is implemented by a program acquired by communication.
19. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
communication apparatus comprises an acception device that accepts
a request for registration as a delegate destination made from the
information apparatus together with indication of at least
attributes of information that can be processed by the information
apparatus.
20. A method of controlling a communication apparatus, comprising:
an acquiring step of acquiring information from an external
apparatus by communication; a determination step of determining
whether the information acquired by said acquiring step is suitable
for processing by the communication apparatus; and a delegating
step of delegating processing of information determined by said
determination step to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus to an information apparatus.
21. An information apparatus comprising: an acquiring device that
waits for information to be delegated to the information apparatus
and acquires the information, wherein the information was acquired
by a communication apparatus from an external apparatus and then
determined to be delegated to the information apparatus for
processing, as being unsuitable for processing by the communication
apparatus; and an executing device that executes processing of the
information delegated to the information apparatus and acquired by
said acquiring device.
22. A method of controlling an information apparatus, comprising:
an acquiring step of waiting for information to be delegated to the
information apparatus and acquires the information, wherein the
information was acquired by a communication apparatus from an
external apparatus and then determined to be delegated to the
information apparatus for processing, as being unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus; and an executing step of
executing processing of the information delegated to the
information apparatus and acquired in said acquiring step.
23. A communication system comprising a communication apparatus
connectable to a wide area network, and an information apparatus
connected to said communication apparatus for communication
therewith, wherein: said communication apparatus includes: a first
acquiring device that acquires information from the wide area
network by communication, a determination device that determines
whether the information acquired by said first acquiring device is
suitable for processing by said communication apparatus, and a
delegation device that is responsive to a result of the
determination by said determination device that the acquired
information is not suitable for processing by said communication
apparatus, for delegating processing of the information to said
information apparatus; and said information apparatus includes: a
second acquiring device that waits for the information having
processing thereof delegated by said delegation device to be
delegated to said information device, and an execution device that
executes the delegated processing on the information acquired by
said second acquiring device.
24. A control program executed by a communication apparatus,
comprising: an acquiring module for acquiring information from
outside by communication; a determination module for determining
whether the information acquired by said acquiring module is
suitable for processing by the communication apparatus; and a
delegate module for delegating processing of information determined
by said determination module to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus to an information apparatus.
25. A control program executed by a communication apparatus having
a function of acquiring information from a wide area network by
communication, and an information apparatus connected to the
communication apparatus for communication therewith, the control
program comprising: an acquiring module for waiting for information
to be delegated to the information apparatus and acquiring the
information, wherein the information was acquired by the
communication apparatus from the wide area network and then
determined to be delegated to the information apparatus for
processing, as being unsuitable for processing by the communication
apparatus; and an executing module for executing processing of the
information delegated to the information apparatus and acquired by
said acquiring module.
26. A medium that computer-readably contains a control program
according to claim 24.
27. A medium that computer-readably contains a control program
according to claim 25.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a communication apparatus
and a control method therefor, an information apparatus and a
control method therefor, a communication system, and control
programs for implementing the methods, and more particularly
relates to a technology of processing information acquired through
communication by a communication apparatus.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, portable information terminals (Personal
Digital Assistant: PDA) have been developed as information
apparatuses for assisting individual intelligence activities. A
portable information terminal of this kind has a liquid crystal
image display device mounted thereon and has a schedule book
function, a memory book function, a telephone book function, and
the like.
[0005] Among communication apparatuses, development of portable
telephone terminals has been progressed, and a function of
accessing Web (World Wide Web) pages is provided for recent
portable telephone terminals. Conventional peripheral technologies
related to portable telephone terminals like these portable
information terminals and portable telephone terminals will be
described below.
[0006] Optical Devices
[0007] Development of optical design and production technology has
realized magnifying projection using a prism with a free curved
surface, and optical devices that provide a large screen even with
a small size. Further, by combining such optical devices with
high-definition display devices such as microdisplays, small-sized
displays with a wide view and high resolution have been made
available. This kind of technology has been so far applied to HMDs
(Head Mounted Displays) and so on.
[0008] High-Resolution Display Devices
[0009] Development of liquid crystal display technology has
realized small-sized and high-resolution displays. Particularly in
LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology which mounts a liquid
crystal material onto a CMOS back plane, a technology of forming
high-density circuits in semiconductor manufacturing is applied to
realize high resolution and high response speed.
[0010] Input Devices Using a Pressure Sensitive Element or the
Like
[0011] Input devices using a pressure sensitive element or the like
to detect a slight movement of a finger and realize pointing on a
two dimensional plane, equivalent to a pointing device (mouse), and
button clicking have been diffused.
[0012] These input devices are used as an embedded type of pointing
button or an auxiliary button for scrolling with a mouse of a
note-type PC (Personal Computer).
[0013] Miniaturized Computer Devices
[0014] Progress in semiconductor manufacturing technologies,
semiconductor design technologies, and others have realized
small-sized and energy saving computer devices having high
performance and high throughput. Also, processors composed of a
chip provided functions such as bus control, memory control, timer,
etc. implemented by such computer devices have come to be widely
distributed.
[0015] In addition, the appearance of SoC (System on a Chip)
technology and the like has allowed a function, which was
conventionally implemented by a combination of a plurality of
semiconductor chips including AS (Application Specified) IC part,
to be realized on a single semiconductor chip. Thus, not only
reduction in volume, but also reduction in energy consumption, has
been made possible.
[0016] Wide Area Wireless Communication Networks
[0017] Wide area wireless communication networks typically for PHSs
(Personal Handy phone Systems) and portable telephones have been
installed, and portable telephone terminals have rapidly been
diffused. This permits network communication without the
restrictions of place. Communication bandwidth is also enormously
becoming larger with the adoption of IMT-2000 specification.
[0018] Furthermore, i-mode service by NTT DoCoMo, EZ-Access by IDO,
etc., although having some restrictions, enable access to Internet
information services via their respective wide area wireless
networks.
[0019] Portable Telephone Terminals
[0020] Recent development of mounting technology has achieved a
great miniaturization of terminals for connection to portable
telephone networks, which are wide area wireless communication
networks provided by NTT DoCoMo and others.
[0021] Further, portable telephone terminals supporting i-mode
service by NTT DoCoMo, EZ-Access by IDO, and the like have, though
with some restrictions, are also capable of using Internet
information services.
[0022] Furthermore, these portable telephone terminals are provided
with a function of playing individually set melodies at the time of
incoming calls. This function is called "ring tones". Some portable
telephone terminals have the capability of playing not only
melodies of simple tones but also melodies of chords as ring tone
melodies.
[0023] Still furthermore, with regard to IMT-2000 which is a next
generation portable telephone system, a specification for mounting
a user identification device referred to as UIM (User Identity
Module), on a portable telephone terminal has been disclosed.
[0024] In order to cope with IMT-2000 portable telephone services,
attempts have been made to enhance the capability of portable
telephone terminals. Processors and memories to be mounted on
portable telephone terminals have been reinforced, and further,
memory capacities have been increased.
[0025] Text processing functions for e-mail etc. have been
enhanced. Terminals with a predictive text input function such as
T9 have been announced.
[0026] Browser software has advanced and enhanced in functions as
well. Browsers for portable telephone terminals primarily have the
capability of displaying pages for portable telephone terminals.
These pages are described in WML (Wireless Markup Language) for WAP
(Wireless Application Protocol) terminals, compact HTML for i-mode
terminals, or XHTML Basic recommended by W3C.
[0027] Furthermore, portable telephone terminals equipped with a
Java processing system are available on the market, which can
execute programs downloaded from networks.
[0028] Portable telephones equipped with Bluetooth as an energy
saving communication system, are also available on the market.
[0029] Download of Programs by Portable Telephone Terminals
[0030] Devices for downloading application programs, which operate
on portable telephone terminals, from servers on networks are
available. More specifically, such devices include specifications
of i-appli led by NTT DoCoMo, the Profile MIDP (Mobile Information
Device Profile) of J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) employed
by KDDI Group and J-PHONE Group for portable telephones, and so
on.
[0031] This makes it possible to provide portable telephone
terminals with functions that were not provided at the time of
production of the portable telephone terminals.
[0032] In BREW specifications presented by QUALCOMM Inc. (US), it
is possible to execute not only programs by Java processing systems
but also programs described in C/C++.
[0033] Low Power Consuming Wireless Communication Systems
[0034] Progress in technologies of communication frequency control
circuits, functions of adjusting radio wave strength, and others
has realized fast communication systems with low power consumption.
Many information apparatuses including portable telephone terminals
and note type PCs (Personal computers) are coming to employ these
communication systems.
[0035] Bluetooth is a typical low power consuming wireless
communication system as described above. Particularly, Bluetooth
SIG (Special Interest Group), who leads this Bluetooth system,
specifies a combination of protocol stacks as a profile for each
application using communication, for the purpose of spreading and
promotion of the system, and in addition, secures the
inter-connectability between Bluetooth-based devices. For example,
according to "Dial-up Networking Profile" included in the Bluetooth
specifications, a communication protocol, a communication
procedure, etc. are specified for the case of using portable
telephone terminals and the like as an Internet bridge.
[0036] Furthermore, in the Bluetooth specifications, a protocol
(SDP: Service Discovery Protocol) and a profile (Service Discovery
Application Profile) for a service discovery function are defined.
Thus, on a Bluetooth network formed dynamically by wireless
communication, the services that are provided by devices connected
to the network can easily be found.
[0037] Still furthermore, in the Bluetooth specifications, a 48 bit
data format referred to as BD_ADDR (Bluetooth Device Addresses; 48
bits) is used for addresses in order to identify individual
devices.
[0038] External Memory Devices
[0039] Progress in semiconductor manufacturing technology and
storage circuit systems etc. has greatly increased the storage
capacity of memory devices. Particularly in recent years,
standardized external memory devices have become available for use
between various information apparatuses, and accordingly, a great
deal of information can easily be exchanged via these external
memory devices.
[0040] Internet Information Services
[0041] Various kinds of information are now available through the
Internet. The information includes image data, text data, video and
audio signals, etc., wherein the information can be distributed
with a description system referred to as HTML (Hyper Text Markup
Language). Also, connection providers called ISPs (Internet Service
Providers) offer easy connection to the Internet via wide area
communication networks such as telephone networks.
[0042] As these Internet information services have come to be
provided via the wide area communication networks spread all over
the world, it has been made possible to acquire a large amount of
information in real time at any place.
[0043] In addition, i-mode by NTT DoCoMo permits using Internet
information services even with portable telephone terminals with
various hardware restrictions compared to PCs by adopting a subset
of HTML referred to as compact HTML.
[0044] Small-Sized Large-Capacity Batteries
[0045] With the appearance of lithium ion batteries, lithium
polymer batteries, etc., high power density batteries, in other
words, small-sized large-capacity batteries have come to be
available. This makes it possible to continuously use portable
apparatuses for a long time.
[0046] Wired Data Communication Interfaces
[0047] Wired data communication interfaces represented by USB
(Universal Serial Bus), IEEE1394, etc. are diffused as external
interfaces for information apparatuses, particularly for PCs.
[0048] Encryption Technology
[0049] Methods of secret and secure data communication with
encryption algorithms are established. In general, encryption
algorithms can be categorized into a symmetrical key system using
the same key information for encryption and decryption, and an
asymmetrical key system using different key information for
encryption and decryption. The both systems adopt a DES (Data
Encryption Standard) encryption system, an RC4 encryption system,
an RSA (the initials of the three developers': Rivest Shamir
Adleman) encryption system, and so on. Also, it is possible to sign
information or confirm it, using an asymmetrical encryption system
(public key encryption system).
[0050] Secure Communication Technology
[0051] As a protocol that provides security in communication such
as Web access with HTTP, SSL (Secure Socket Layer) was presented by
Netscape Inc. (USA), and has been used in various kinds of software
including the browser software by them. SSL is positioned above
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and below
an application protocol such as HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)
or FTP (File Transfer Protocol), etc., providing the functions of
server authentication, encryption of communication data, and client
authentication (optional).
[0052] As a system that provides security in wireless
communication, WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security) is defined
by a WAP Forum as a part of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol).
This is designed on the basis of SSL, and provides almost the same
functions as those of SSL, including data integrity, encryption,
terminal authentication, etc.
[0053] As a method that provides an authentication function in
communication, the CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication
Protocol) system defined-as RFC1334 is known. This system is
primarily used in PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol: defined by
RFC1661).
[0054] By using various peripheral technologies as described above,
it has been realized that portable terminals have multi functions,
including communication functions etc., and are smaller and more
portable.
[0055] Conventional portable telephone terminals, however, have
been forced to have a small display screen for their portability,
which has sometimes made it difficult to display various contents
extensively distributed on the Internet.
[0056] In addition, using optical magnification systems for a
better screen displaying has caused a mismatch with the operating
systems of conventional portable telephone terminals to make the
browsing of contents difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0057] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
communication apparatus and a control method therefor, an
information apparatus and a control method therefor, a
communication system, and control programs for implementing the
methods, which make it possible to properly process data acquired
by an external device even if the data is difficult to process by
the external device that acquired the data.
[0058] To attain the above object, in a first aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising
an acquiring device that acquires information from an external
apparatus by communication, a determination device that determines
whether the information acquired by the acquiring device is
suitable for processing by the communication apparatus, and a
delegation device that delegates processing of information
determined by the determination device to be unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus to an information
apparatus.
[0059] Typically, the communication apparatus comprises a portable
telephone terminal.
[0060] Also typically, the acquiring device acquires information
managed by a server on a network.
[0061] Preferably, the determination device determines whether the
information acquired by the acquiring device is suitable for
processing by the communication apparatus by comparing a size of
display required by the information with a size of a display screen
of the communication apparatus.
[0062] Alternatively, the determination device determines the
information acquired by the acquiring device to be unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, if a processing amount
of the information is greater than a predetermined amount.
[0063] Also preferably, determination device determines the
information acquired by the acquiring device to be unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, if the information is
encrypted with an encryption system that is not provided on the
communication apparatus.
[0064] Also preferably, the determination device determines the
information acquired by the acquiring device to be unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, if the information is to
be processed with plug-in software that is not provided on the
communication apparatus.
[0065] Also preferably, the determination device determines whether
the information acquired by the acquiring device is suitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, according to at least
one of a data format and an extension of the information.
[0066] Also preferably, the determination device determines whether
the information acquired by the acquiring device is suitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, according to a result of
analysis of contents of the information.
[0067] Preferably, the delegation device delegates a part of the
information acquired by the acquiring device to be processed by the
information apparatus, if the part of the information is determined
by the determination device to be unsuitable for processing by the
communication apparatus.
[0068] Alternatively, the delegation device is responsive to a
result of the determination by the determination device that the
information acquired by the acquiring device is unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, for storing the
information and displaying the result of the determination, and for
delegating processing of the information to the information
apparatus after an instruction to delegate the processing is
given.
[0069] Also preferably, the delegation device delegates at least
one parameter for processing the information acquired by the
acquiring device together with the information to the information
apparatus to delegate processing of the information.
[0070] Preferably, the delegation device includes a designation
device that designates the information apparatus as a delegate
destination.
[0071] More preferably, the designation device designates the
information apparatus as a delegate destination according to
determination conditions applied for the determination by the
determination device.
[0072] Specifically, it is preferred that the designation device
carries out the designation using a table in which candidates for
the information apparatus as a delegate destination is registered
in correspondence to determination conditions to be applied for the
determination by the determination device.
[0073] Preferably, the designation device includes an updating
device that updates contents of registration of the table.
[0074] Preferably, the communication apparatus comprises an
instruction device that instructs the information apparatus to
process the information after the delegation device delegates
processing of the information to the information apparatus.
[0075] Preferably, at least one of the determination device and the
delegation device is implemented by a program acquired by
communication.
[0076] Also preferably, the communication apparatus comprises an
acception device that accepts a request for registration as a
delegate destination made from the information apparatus together
with indication of at least attributes of information that can be
processed by the information apparatus.
[0077] To attain the above object, in a second aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a
communication apparatus, comprising an acquiring step of acquiring
information from an external apparatus by communication, a
determination step of determining whether the information acquired
by the acquiring step is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, and a delegating step of delegating
processing of information determined by the determination step to
be unsuitable for processing by the communication apparatus to an
information apparatus.
[0078] To attain the above object, in a third aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an information apparatus comprising an
acquiring device that waits for information to be delegated to the
information apparatus and acquires the information, wherein the
information was acquired by a communication apparatus from an
external apparatus and then determined to be delegated to the
information apparatus for processing, as being unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, and an executing device
that executes processing of the information delegated to the
information apparatus and acquired by the acquiring device.
[0079] To attain the above object, in a fourth aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an
information apparatus, comprising an acquiring step of waiting for
information to be delegated to the information apparatus and
acquires the information, wherein the information was acquired by a
communication apparatus from an external apparatus and then
determined to be delegated to the information apparatus for
processing, as being unsuitable for processing by the communication
apparatus, and an executing step of executing processing of the
information delegated to the information apparatus and acquired in
the acquiring step.
[0080] To attain the above object, in a fifth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a communication system comprising a
communication apparatus connectable to a wide area network, and an
information apparatus connected to the communication apparatus for
communication therewith, wherein the communication apparatus
includes: a first acquiring device that acquires information from
the wide area network by communication, a determination device that
determines whether the information acquired by the first acquiring
device is suitable for processing by the communication apparatus,
and a delegation device that is responsive to a result of the
determination by the determination device that the acquired
information is not suitable for processing by the communication
apparatus, for delegating processing of the information to the
information apparatus, and the information apparatus includes: a
second acquiring device that waits for the information having
processing thereof delegated by the delegation device to be
delegated to the information device, and an execution device that
executes the delegated processing on the information acquired by
the second acquiring device.
[0081] To attain the above object, in a sixth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a control program executed by a
communication apparatus, comprising an acquiring module for
acquiring information from outside by communication, a
determination module for determining whether the information
acquired by the acquiring module is suitable for processing by the
communication apparatus, and a delegate module for delegating
processing of information determined by the determination module to
be unsuitable for processing by the communication apparatus to an
information apparatus.
[0082] To attain the above object, in a seventh aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a control program executed by
a communication apparatus having a function of acquiring
information from a wide area network by communication, and an
information apparatus connected to the communication apparatus for
communication therewith, the control program comprising an
acquiring module for waiting for information to be delegated to the
information apparatus and acquiring the information, wherein the
information was acquired by the communication apparatus from the
wide area network and then determined to be delegated to the
information apparatus for processing, as being unsuitable for
processing by the communication apparatus, and an executing module
for executing processing of the information delegated to the
information apparatus and acquired by the acquiring module. To
attain the above object, in an eighth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a medium that computer-readably
contains a control program according to the sixth aspect.
[0083] To attain the above object, in a ninth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a medium that computer-readably
contains a control program according to the seventh aspect.
[0084] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0085] FIGS. 1A to 1C are views showing the appearance of a
portable information terminal 100 as an information apparatus
according to the present invention, in which:
[0086] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the portable information
terminal 100;
[0087] FIG. 1B is a front view of the portable information terminal
100; and
[0088] FIG. 1C is an enlarged view illustrating the portable
information terminal 100 gripped with a hand;
[0089] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal
configuration of the portable information terminal 100;
[0090] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an optical path in a
Free-Form-Surface prism 111 inside the portable information
terminal 100;
[0091] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware construction
of the portable information terminal 100;
[0092] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a
communication system according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0093] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a user instruction process
performed by the portable information terminal 100 according to the
first embodiment;
[0094] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the software configuration of
the portable information terminal 100;
[0095] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a waiting server process
performed by the portable information terminal 100 according to the
first embodiment;
[0096] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing functions of a portable
telephone terminal 200 as a communication apparatus according to
the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0097] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a Web page acquiring process
(delegate process) performed by the portable telephone terminal 200
according to the first embodiment;
[0098] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the software configuration of
the portable telephone terminal 200 according to the first
embodiment;
[0099] FIGS. 12A and 12B show examples of display on the portable
telephone terminal 200;
[0100] FIG. 13 shows an example of display, on the portable
information terminal 100, of a whole Web page of which display
processing has been delegated from the portable telephone terminal
200;
[0101] FIG. 14 shows an example of display, on the portable
information terminal 100, of a part of a Web page of which display
processing has been delegated from the portable telephone terminal
200;
[0102] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a
communication system according to a second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0103] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a Web page acquiring process
(delegate process) performed by the portable telephone terminal 200
according to the second embodiment;
[0104] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a remote input process
performed by a portable information terminal 100 according to a
fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[0105] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the software configuration of
the portable telephone terminal 200 according to the fourth
embodiment;
[0106] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a delegate setting table
indicating delegate determination rules using extensions, which are
used by the second embodiment; and
[0107] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a remote input conversion table
used by the fourth embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0108] The present invention will now be described in detail below
with reference to the accompanying drawings showing preferred
embodiments thereof.
[0109] In the embodiments described below, the communication
apparatus according to the present invention is embodied as a
portable telephone terminal 200 as shown in FIG. 5, described
later, and the information apparatus according to the present
invention is embodied as a portable information terminal 100 as
shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, described later.
[0110] First Embodiment
[0111] In a first embodiment of the present invention, when
large-sized image data (for example, detailed map information),
which is difficult to display on a small-sized screen of a portable
telephone terminal, is included in a Web page downloaded with a Web
browser of the portable telephone terminal, the Web page
information is transmitted to a portable information terminal, and
a process of displaying the Web page information including the
image is delegated (transferred) to the portable information
terminal. These functions will be described in details as
follows.
[0112] FIGS. 1A to 1C are views showing the appearance of the
portable information terminal 100, wherein FIG. 1A is a perspective
view of the portable information terminal, FIG. 1B is a front view,
and FIG. 1C shows the portable information apparatus gripped with a
hand.
[0113] In FIGS. 1A to 1C, a window 1 is formed in a front part of
the portable information terminal 100 on the eyepiece side of a
Free-Form-Surface 111, described later. While gripping the portable
information terminal 100 with a hand, a user can see, by looking in
the window 1 with the eyes close to it, an image displayed on a
small-sized liquid crystal display 112, referred to later, on an
enlarged scale. Since this portable information terminal 100 is
powered by a battery and provided with a wireless communication
function, the user can acquire necessary information and see the
enlarged image, with the portable information terminal held in
hand.
[0114] Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, an operation button 2 is
provided at a left top of the terminal as viewed from the front,
and the user, as shown in FIG. 1C, operates the operation button 2
to acquire desired information.
[0115] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal
configuration of the portable information terminal 100.
[0116] In FIG. 2, reference numeral 112 designates a small-sized
liquid crystal display for displaying information, 113 designates a
backlight for supplying transmission light to the small-sized
liquid crystal display 112, and 111 designates a Free-Form-Surface
prism for magnifying the screen of the small-sized liquid crystal
display 112. The small-sized liquid crystal display 112, the
backlight 113, and the Free-Form-Surface prism 111 constitute a
magnification system display device 110.
[0117] Further, reference numeral 3 designates a housing of the
portable information terminal 100, and 4 designates a main
substrate having mounted thereon a circuit for transmitting a
driving signal to the small-sized liquid crystal display 112,
etc.
[0118] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an optical path in the
Free-Form-Surface prism 111 inside the portable information
terminal 100.
[0119] On the Free-Form-Surface prism 111, three optical action
surfaces 111a to 111c are formed. In the vicinity of the action
surface 111c, which is farthest from the user, the small-sized
liquid crystal display 112 and the backlight 113 are arranged,
wherein their positions are adjusted so that they give a proper
display to the user. The respective action surfaces 111a to 111c
are designed such that the light emitted by the backlight 113
transmits through the small-sized liquid crystal display 112, and
goes by way of the action surfaces 111c, 111a, and 111b
sequentially to reach the user. Using this Free-Form-Surface prism
111 realizes an optical magnification system in a compact size, for
displaying output image on an enlarged scale.
[0120] In the present embodiment, although a transmission type
liquid display element is used as the small-sized liquid crystal
display 112, a reflection type liquid display element may be used,
instead, and the shape of the Free-Form-Surface prism, the position
of the backlight, etc. may be adjusted as needed.
[0121] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware construction
of the portable information terminal 100.
[0122] The portable information terminal 100 is comprised of the
magnification system display device 110 having the small-sized
liquid crystal display (LCD) 112, backlight 113, etc., a
small-sized computer device 120 integrated by the SoC technology, a
low power consuming communication device 130 according to
Bluetooth, an input device 140 which is composed of a combination
of a pressure sensitive element, a tact switch, etc. so as to allow
pointing and button clicking on a two dimensional plane, which are
equivalent to those of a pointing device (mouse), an LED device 150
capable of realizing a plurality of display patterns by selective
lightening and flickering, and a power source device 160 composed
of a lithium ion secondary battery or the like. These components
are mounted in the portable information terminal 100 that is so
small in size as can be gripped in a hand.
[0123] This portable information terminal 100 operates such that
the computer device 120 processes information acquired from a
network via the communication device 130, and the resulting
information is displayed via the magnification system display
device 110.
[0124] The computer device 120 is comprised of a CPU 121 that
executes various processes based on programs, described later, a
RAM 122 that serves as a memory for expanding the programs, holding
temporary results of the processing, etc., a ROM 123 that stores
software including the programs and data, a display control circuit
124 that controls the small-sized liquid crystal display 112, which
displays results of execution of the programs, and the backlight
113, a bus (CPU Bus) 125, that serves as a data communication path
between devices, for example, between the CPU 121 and the RAM 122,
a communication control circuit 126 that controls the communication
device 130, an input control circuit 127 that controls the input
device 140, an LED control circuit 128 that controls the LED device
150, and a power source control circuit 129 that controls the power
source device 160.
[0125] Among these components, the RAM 122, the ROM 123, and the
display control circuit 124 are connected to the CPU 121 via the
bus 125. The communication control circuit 126, the input control
circuit 127, the LED control circuit 128, and the power source
control circuit 129 are connected to the CPU 121 via I/O ports. The
computer device 120 having these devices, circuits, etc. is mounted
on a single small-sized semiconductor chip by means of the SoC
technology.
[0126] The ROM 123 employed in the above configuration includes an
unrewritable storage device such as a mask ROM and a rewritable
storage device such as a flash ROM.
[0127] FIG. 5 illustrates a communication system according to the
first embodiment of the present invention.
[0128] A plurality of Web servers 400 are present on a network N1
such as the Internet. A portable telephone terminal 200 according
to the present embodiment is connected to the Web servers 400 via a
portable telephone line network N2.
[0129] The portable telephone terminal 200 has a connection
function of connecting to a Bluetooth line network N3 in addition
to a connection function of connecting to the portable telephone
line network N2. In Bluetooth communication between the portable
information terminal 100 and the portable telephone terminal 200,
communication is carried out according to Serial Port Profile.
[0130] Although the portable telephone line network N2 is actually
comprised of a plurality of radio base stations and exchange
facilities, the details of the portable telephone line network N2
will not be described here for brevity. Extension of communication
from the portable telephone line network N2 to the network N1 is
carried out through a router 300. The router 300 is mostly operated
by ISP (Internet Service Provider), and plays the role of a bridge
between the portable telephone line network N2 and the network
N1.
[0131] An access request for access to a Web page, made by the
portable telephone terminal 200 is transmitted to a corresponding
Web server 400, and upon receipt of this request, information on
the Web page is returned from the Web server 400. The portable
telephone terminal 200 then analyzes and displays the received
information on the Web page.
[0132] Further, a plurality of Web browsers 500 are connected to
the network N1, and can be connected to Web servers 400 as well to
display information on Web pages stored therein.
[0133] The Web servers 400 and Web browsers 500 are servers and
browsers equipped with widely diffused Web technologies, wherein
information on Web pages stored therein is described in HTML or the
like, and includes link information described as URLs. The link
information makes it easy to access from a Web browser 500 or the
like to other Web page information, which may be stored in the same
Web server or in a different Web server.
[0134] The network N1 shown in FIG. 5 may be an intranet operated
in a company or an organization, or may be the Internet widely
connecting the world.
[0135] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a user instruction process
performed by the portable information terminal 100 according to the
first embodiment.
[0136] A program describing this operation procedure is stored in
the ROM 123 shown in FIG. 4, and is executed by the CPU 121 as
needed. Upon execution of the program, the input control circuit
127, the display control circuit 124, the communication control
circuit 126 etc. are started as needed.
[0137] First, information on settings (setting information) is read
in step S1001 at the start of the program. According to this
setting information, the contents of processing to be executed
thereafter are decided. The contents of the setting information are
stored in the ROM 123. Typical set information is fixed and stored
in the ROM 123 together with the programs etc., and the user sets
or modifies part of the setting information, which is then stored
in a different area of the ROM 123.
[0138] Next, in step S1002, an instruction by the user is waited
for. Herein, the instruction by the user is typically made in the
form of an input signal from the input device 140, but may be made
in the form of communication data received from the communication
device 130.
[0139] In step S1003, an instruction by the user is received.
[0140] In step S1004, it is determined whether the received
instruction instructs the program to be terminated or not. If the
instruction is determined to instruct the program to be terminated,
the program is terminated. If the instruction is not determined to
instruct the program to be terminated, then the process proceeds to
step S1005.
[0141] In step S1005, processing according to the instruction is
executed, and then the process goes back to step S1002 to wait for
a next instruction. The program for the processing executed in step
S1005 is stored in the ROM 123 as well, and executed by the CPU
121.
[0142] In the case where in a Web page that the Web browser of the
portable telephone terminal 200 according to the present embodiment
has downloaded, image data (e.g. detailed map information) that is
too large to be displayed on the small-sized screen of the portable
telephone terminal 200 is detected, then the information on the Web
page is delegated to the portable information terminal 100, which
was described by referring to FIGS. 1A to 4, and is provided with
the optical magnification system having the Free-Form-Surface prism
111, in order to delegate the process of displaying the Web page
information including the image to the portable information
terminal 100. An example of this case will be described
hereinbelow.
[0143] In this case, the portable information terminal 100 is on
standby, waiting for communication from the portable telephone
terminal 200, and upon receipt of communication from the portable
telephone terminal 200, processing described below is started.
[0144] The software configuration of the portable information
terminal 100 includes, as shown in FIG. 7, a group of programs
having a Web browser processing function, a Bluetooth communication
function for communication with the portable telephone terminal
200, etc., and additionally, a program having a "waiting server
function" of waiting for communication from the portable telephone
terminal 200. This program is also stored in the ROM 123 to be
executed by CPU 121 as needed. And, transmission and reception of
data to and from the input control circuit 127, the display control
circuit 124, the communication control circuit 126, etc. are
carried out as needed.
[0145] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a waiting server process performed
by the portable information terminal 100 according to the first
embodiment. A program describing this process is called to be
executed in step S1005 in FIG. 6 in response to an instruction by
the user or to communication from the portable telephone terminal
200.
[0146] An instruction by the user mentioned above is given, for
example, when starting of the waiting server process is selected by
an instruction through a menu operation.
[0147] First, in step S4001, setting information for the waiting
server is acquired.
[0148] In step S4002, data delegate from the portable telephone
terminal 200 is waited for. Specifically, the portable information
terminal 100 is suspended until the communication device 130
receives communication data from the portable telephone terminal
200.
[0149] In step S4003, the communication data from the portable
telephone terminal 200 received by the communication device 130 is
acquired. In step S4004, the acquired data is analyzed.
Specifically, the contents described in HTML format or the like is
read, an image, other multimedia information, anchor (link
information), etc. embedded therein are detected, and then a
logical structure of the Web page information is determined.
[0150] In step S4005, the analyzed communication data is displayed
on the screen (see FIG. 13), and then the process is terminated. In
the step S4005, specifically, based on the various embedded
information and the logical structure as the analysis results, the
acquired Web page information is laid out in a suitable
disposition, and then the result of the layout is displayed on the
small-sized liquid crystal display 112. Before and after the step
S4005, processing of reducing power supply to the liquid crystal
display and giving a notification to the user may be carried out to
save power consumption, but details of the processing will not be
described here.
[0151] Next, functions of the portable telephone terminal 200
according to the present embodiment will be explained with
reference to FIG. 9.
[0152] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing functions of the portable
telephone terminal 200 according to the first embodiment. Herein,
since a system controller 210 of the portable telephone terminal
200 has almost the same functions as those of the small-sized
computer device 120, shown in FIG. 4, of the portable information
terminal 100 except that the magnification system display device
110 is not provided, description of the related functions of the
system controller 210 in FIG. 9 is omitted.
[0153] The portable telephone terminal 200 is comprised of the
system controller 210, a memory section 220, an RF section 240 and
a baseband section 230 for connection to the portable telephone
line network N2 shown in FIG. 5, an RF section 260 and a baseband
section 250 for connection to the Bluetooth line network N3 shown
in FIG. 5, a display controller 270, and an input controller
280.
[0154] The portable telephone terminal 200 utilizes these functions
to realize a data communication function and a mobile communication
function, as well as Web browser functions.
[0155] The Web browser functions provided on the portable telephone
terminal 200 according to the present embodiment include, in
addition to general Web browser functions widely used for portable
telephone terminals, a function of detecting data that is
unsuitable (difficult) for processing by the portable telephone
terminal 200, and delegating processing of the data to the portable
information terminal 100 to assign the processing to the
latter.
[0156] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a Web page acquiring process
(delegate process) performed by the portable telephone terminal 200
according to the first embodiment. A program describing this
processing is stored in the memory section 220 (see FIG. 11) of the
portable telephone terminal 200, and called as a data acquiring
routine when performing the data acquiring process, to realize a
delegate determination process specific to the first
embodiment.
[0157] First, in step S5001, data is downloaded according to a
designated URL. The URL may be designated through direct input by
the user, or may be acquired by selecting a link embedded in a
different Web page, or may be provided by a portable telephone
network provider or the like.
[0158] In step S5002, it is determined whether the acquired data is
processable by the portable telephone terminal 200 or not. If the
data is determined to be processable, then the process proceeds to
step S5003, or otherwise the process proceeds to step S5004.
[0159] In the present embodiment, if image data that has a size
larger than the display screen size of the portable telephone
terminal 200 is acquired, then the acquired data is determined to
be unprocessable, or otherwise the acquired data is determined to
be processable.
[0160] In step S5003, the acquired data is analyzed by the browser
of the portable telephone terminal 200 and displayed (see FIG.
12A), and then the process is terminated.
[0161] In step S5004, it is determined whether there is a suitable
delegate destination or not with regard to the acquired data. If
there is a suitable delegate destination, the process proceeds to
step S5005, or otherwise the process proceeds to step S5007. In the
present embodiment, the determination process of determining the
presence of a suitable delegate destination is executed by judging
if the portable information terminal 100 is registered or not as a
suitable delegate destination in the environmental setting of the
browser of this portable telephone terminal 200.
[0162] In step S5005, the data is delegated to a delegate
destination (the portable information terminal 100 in the present
embodiment), the process proceeds to step S5006 to display (see
FIG. 12B), on the screen of the portable telephone terminal 200, a
message indicating that the processing of the acquired data has
been delegated to the portable information terminal 100, and then
the process is terminated.
[0163] In the step S5007, the fact that no suitable delegate
destination was found and processing failed is displayed on the
screen of the portable telephone terminal 200, and the process is
terminated.
[0164] In the present embodiment, as a situation where processing
of the acquired data on the portable telephone terminal 200 is
difficult to perform, it is given as an example that the portable
telephone terminal 200 receives image data larger in size than the
size of the display screen of the portable telephone terminal 200.
However, the situation mentioned above is not limited to large
sized image data. For example, the situation may include cases of
receiving multimedia information requiring a large amount of
calculations, data encoded with an encryption algorithm that is not
installed, or data requiring a plugin (additional program module)
that is not installed.
[0165] In addition, more simply, in the case of receiving data in a
data format such as WML (Wireless Markup Language)/compact HTML or
XHTML Basic other than data formats for portable telephones, all
the processing may be delegated.
[0166] As another case, it is also possible to identify data to be
delegated, according to its extension, for example, processing of
data with an extension that is included in a prepared extension
list (for example, a list given below) is delegated.
[delegate list]={.jpg.gif.tiff.bmp};
[0167] Further, although in the present embodiment, the whole Web
page difficult to process is delegated to the portable information
terminal 100 to assign the processing thereto (see FIG. 13), only a
part of the Web page (large image data in the present embodiment)
difficult to process by the portable telephone terminal 200 may be
delegated, and only the processing of the difficult part may be
assigned thereto. This is effective in the case that the value of
the information itself drops with a reduced size display as in the
case of map information (see FIG. 14). In this case, only the rest
(a part easy to be processed by the portable telephone terminal
200) may be displayed on the portable telephone terminal 200.
[0168] Yet further, although in the present embodiment, in the
present embodiment, although the portable information terminal 100,
to which the processing has been assigned, executes the processing
immediately, it is also possible to temporarily the delegated
information, and executes the processing actually upon an
instruction being given later by the user.
[0169] Furthermore, although in the present embodiment, the
portable telephone terminal 200 immediately delegates the
information difficult to process by the portable telephone terminal
200, to the portable information terminal 100 and assigns the
processing thereto, it is also possible to temporarily store the
information, notify the user, through display, that the processing
is difficult to perform, and delegate the information to the
portable information terminal 100 to assign the processing thereto
upon an instruction being given later by the user in response to
the notification.
[0170] Still furthermore, although in the present embodiment, the
portable telephone terminal 200, which has delegated data to the
portable information terminal 100 that is the delegate destination,
displays the fact on the screen of the portable telephone terminal
200 in step S5006, and immediately thereafter terminates the
process, the portable telephone terminal 200 may be allowed to
process the part, out of the data downloaded in step S5001, that is
processable by the portable telephone terminal 200.
[0171] Although in the present embodiment, the program for
performing determination as to the delegate on the portable
telephone terminal 200 is previously stored in the memory section
220 of the portable telephone terminal 200, this program may be
downloaded from the Web server 400 on the network N1. Further, the
timing of downloading may be the time when an instruction is given
by the user, or the time when the portable telephone terminal 200
detects the connection of the portable information terminal 100
with Bluetooth line network N3, etc. Still further, the program for
performing determination as to the delegate may be provided by the
portable information terminal 100 to the portable telephone
terminal 200.
[0172] Furthermore, although in the present embodiment, the
determination as to whether processing is difficult to perform or
not is carried out during execution of the data acquiring process
by the Web browser for portable telephone terminals, this
determination process function may be provided on a different
module from the Web browser for portable telephone terminals. For
example, the process may be provided on a MIME (Multipurpose
Internet Mail Extension) type processing module, or a data
communication module of the portable telephone terminal 200.
[0173] Still furthermore, although in the present embodiment, the
device that performs the determination as to the presence of a
suitable delegate destination in step S5004 is the portable
telephone terminal 200, this device is not limited to the portable
telephone terminal 200, and may be applied to a different device
that has the capability of output processing such as displaying the
acquired information and can communicate with a plurality of
devices. For example, a car navigation device having a browser with
a communication capability may perform the determination processing
described above.
[0174] Although in the above-described first embodiment, the
communication between the portable information terminal 100 and the
portable telephone terminal 200 is performed with a wireless
communication system according to Bluetooth, the same communication
may be performed with a wire communication system according to USB
(Universal Serial Bus), UART (Universal Asynchronous
Receiver/Transmitter), etc. instead of the wireless communication
system according to Bluetooth. Wireless communication systems allow
various communication styles, and on the other hand, wire
communication systems allow stable communication.
[0175] Second Embodiment
[0176] In a second embodiment of the present invention as well, as
in the first embodiment, when Web browsing is performed using the
portable telephone terminal 200 provided with browser functions,
such as an i-mode support portable telephone terminal, a high
performance display is realized by the terminal 200 operating in
cooperation with the portable information terminal 100, which
cannot be achieved by the Web browsing of the portable telephone
terminal 200 alone.
[0177] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, rules are provided so
that the portable telephone terminal 200 delegates the processing
of information included in a Web page to a different device or
apparatus, wherein the portable telephone terminal 200 selects a
device or apparatus from the portable information terminal 100, a
note-type PC, an MP3 player, etc., depending on the type and
contents of the Web page, in order to delegate the processing of
the information on the type and contents.
[0178] First, the arrangement of a communication system for the
portable telephone terminal 200 and the portable information
terminal 100 according to the second embodiment will be
described.
[0179] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the
communication system according to the second embodiment of the
present invention. The communication system according to the second
embodiment is different from the communication system according to
the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 in the following points:
[0180] (1) Further connected to the Bluetooth line network N3 are a
note-type PC 1001 and a MP3 player 1002, as well as the portable
information terminal 100 and the portable telephone terminal 200,
wherein all of these can directly communicate with each other.
[0181] (2) Further connected to the network N1 is a network storage
1003 that is a network connectable storage device, as well as a Web
server 400 and a Web browser 500, wherein the network storage 1003,
as well as the Web server 400, can communicate with the portable
telephone terminal 200, the portable information terminal 100, etc.
via a router 300.
[0182] The note-type PC 1001, the MP3 player 1002, and the network
storage 1003, which are to be designated as delegate destinations,
are provided with a waiting server function similar to the waiting
server function of the portable information terminal 100, which was
described with reference to FIG. 8.
[0183] Next, the portable telephone terminal 200 according to the
second embodiment will be described.
[0184] The portable telephone terminal 200 according to the second
embodiment performs the determination as to the presence of a
suitable delegate destination as in the first embodiment, but the
method of the determination is different. Specifically, in the
second embodiment, according to previously set rules, it is
determined whether to delegate processing or not, and a delegate
destination is decided.
[0185] According to the rules, in the second embodiment, the
determination as to whether the processing is to be delegated is
made and a delegate destination is decided, based on an extension
of the information. FIG. 19 illustrates a delegate setting table
indicating the delegate determination rules using extensions. This
delegate setting table is stored in the memory section 220 of the
portable telephone terminal 200.
[0186] In the delegate setting table shown in FIG. 19, extensions
are recorded in the left column, and information designating
delegate destinations is recorded in the right column,
respectively. As information designating a delegate destination,
BD_ADDR (Bluetooth Device Address; 48 bit), which is the address
information for identification of a device based on Bluetooth
specification, and a port number, which is the information for
selection of a service in the device, are recorded next to each
other.
[0187] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the acquiring process of a Web
page (delegate process) performed by the portable telephone
terminal 200 according to the second embodiment of the present
invention. A program describing the processing is stored in the
memory section 220 of the portable telephone terminal 200 and
called as part of the Web browser functions, to perform a delegate
determination process specific to the second embodiment.
[0188] First, data is downloaded in step S6001, according to a
designated URL. In step S6002, it is determined whether an
extension of the acquired data is registered in the delegate
setting table to indicate that the data is to be delegated. If the
extension is not registered, then the data is judged to be
processable by the portable telephone terminal 200 and the process
proceeds to step S6003 to analyze and display the acquired data
with the Web browser of the portable telephone terminal 200, and
the process is terminated.
[0189] On the other hand, if the extension is registered, then it
is determined whether a suitable delegate destination is registered
in the delegate setting table or not, that corresponds to the
extension (step S6004). If a suitable delegate destination is
registered, then the process proceeds to step S6005, or otherwise
the process proceeds to step S6007.
[0190] In step S6005, the data is delegated to the registered
delegate destination. The process then proceeds to step S6006 to
display on the screen of the portable telephone terminal 200 a
message to the effect that the processing of the acquired data has
been delegated to the registered delegate destination, and the
process is terminated.
[0191] In the step S6007, a message is displayed on the screen of
the portable telephone terminal 200 to the effect that the delegate
processing failed because no suitable delegate destination is
registered, and then the process is terminated.
[0192] As described above, according to the second embodiment, a
delegate destination is determined according to the type of
information, particularly to an extension of its URL, the delegate
destination may be determined according to the type of MIME
acquired from the header information of HTTP. In addition,
irrespective of the URL and the type of MIME, the delegate
destination may be determined according to information obtained by
analysis of the contents of the acquired data. As in the first
embodiment, it goes without saying that parameters such as image
size can be used as parameters for delegate determination. Still
further, in addition to delegating acquired data per se, additional
information such as processing parameters to be used at the
delegate destination may be attached to the acquired data and
delegated together therewith.
[0193] Furthermore, although in the second embodiment, it was
merely described for the simplicity of description that data
satisfying the delegate conditions is automatically delegated to
the delegate destination upon a determination to delegate the data
being made, it is also possible to inquire the user whether to
delegate or not, prior to the actual delegate, and then perform the
delegate processing according to a response by the user to the
inquiry.
[0194] Still furthermore, although in the second embodiment, the
combined information of BD_ADDR defined for a Bluetooth device and
a port number that is an identification number of a service in the
device is used as the information for designating the delegate
destination, the method of designating the delegate destination is
not limited to this. For example, the combined information of IP
address, FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name), or the like, which is
positioned in an upper layer of the network N1, may be used as the
information for designating the delegate destination.
[0195] In other words, not only close or neighboring devices
connected to the Bluetooth line network N3, but also various
devices connected to the Internet may be delegate destinations. For
example, the network storage 1003, connected to the network N1 and
accessible via the router 300 as well as the Web server 400 can be
designated as delegate designations.
[0196] Yet furthermore, although in the second embodiment, data
processing is exclusively delegated to a single delegate
destination, data processing may be overlappingly delegated to a
plurality of delegate destinations, depending on the attributes of
data. For example, delegating new schedule data of a scheduler or
the like to the note-type PC 1001 in addition to the portable
information terminal 100 enables synchronizing schedulers of a
plurality of devices.
[0197] Third Embodiment
[0198] Also in a third embodiment of the present invention, as in
the first and second embodiments, when Web browsing is performed
using the portable telephone terminal 200, such as an i-mode
support portable telephone terminal, equipped with browser
functions, a high performance display is realized by the portable
telephone terminal 200 operating in cooperation with the portable
information terminal 100, which cannot be achieved by the Web
browsing of the portable telephone terminal 200 alone.
[0199] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the setting contents
of the rules for delegating the data processing as in the second
embodiment can be dynamically changed, to thereby realize proper
delegate processing depending on the situations.
[0200] Specifically, the contents of the delegate setting table,
shown in FIG. 19, are updated in linkage with the service discovery
function of Bluetooth communication. In other words, when a device
providing a suitable service to the acquired data is newly found
among the devices connected to the Bluetooth line network N3 in the
vicinity of the portable telephone terminal 200, the newly found
device is additionally registered into the delegate setting table
as a delegate destination, and on the other hand, when no suitable
device is found, the network storage 1003 or the like is registered
into the delegate setting table so that the data is temporarily
stored in the network storage 1003 or the like.
[0201] When the connection of any of the devices registered as
delegate destinations to the Bluetooth line network N3 has been
disconnected, the registration of the device is canceled. The
portable telephone terminal 200 may periodically perform such
updating processing of the delegate setting table.
[0202] Although in the third embodiment, data processing is
delegated merely to devices that provide services in the vicinity
of the portable telephone terminal 200, it is possible to register
devices into the delegate setting table by performing user
authentication or the like such that data processing is delegated
only to limited delegate destinations. Conversely, it is also
possible to arrange such that data processing is delegated to all
the devices that provide services in the vicinity of the portable
telephone terminal 200.
[0203] In addition, in the third embodiment, the portable telephone
terminal 200 manages the delegate setting table by determining
whether devices connected to Bluetooth provide a suitable service
to the acquired data. However, to assist the management, it may be
arranged such that the respective devices connected to Bluetooth
themselves request the portable telephone terminal 200 to register
the attributes and the like of data that they can receive.
[0204] Fourth Embodiment
[0205] Also in a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as in
the first to third embodiments, when Web browsing is performed
using the portable telephone terminal 200, such as an i-mode
support portable telephone terminal, equipped with browser
functions, a high performance display is realized by the portable
telephone terminal 200 operating in cooperation with the portable
information terminal 100, which cannot be achieved by the Web
browsing of the portable telephone terminal 200 alone.
[0206] Further, in the fourth embodiment, the portable telephone
terminal 200 does not only delegate data processing, but also
indirectly inputs operation information related to the delegate
destination to which the data processing has been delegated, from
the portable telephone terminal 200.
[0207] First, the portable information terminal 100 according to
the fourth embodiment will be described. The portable information
terminal 100 according to the fourth embodiment has the same
functions as those in the first embodiment, and besides, a remote
input function of handling input information transmitted by the
portable telephone terminal 200 is additionally provided.
[0208] The portable information terminal 100 according to the
fourth embodiment uses a remote input conversion table shown in
FIG. 20 in executing this remote input process. This remote input
conversion table is formed of a correspondence between input key
information to be transmitted by the portable telephone terminal
200 and the contents of processing to be executes upon receipt of
the input key information.
[0209] This remote input conversion table is previously stored in
the ROM 123 of the portable information terminal 100.
[0210] FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the remote input process performed
by the portable information terminal 100 according to the fourth
embodiment. A program describing the remote input process is
previously stored in the ROM 123 of the portable information
terminal 100, and executes the remote input process specific to the
fourth embodiment after the waiting server process is
completed.
[0211] First, in step S7001, input key information transmitted by
the portable telephone terminal 200 is received. Next, in step
S7002, referring to the remote input conversion table described
above, processing corresponding to the received input key
information is identified and executed.
[0212] Next, in step S7003, it is determined whether the identified
processing corresponding to the input key information received in
step S7002 is "End Remote Input" or not. If the identified
processing is "End Remote Input", then the remote input process is
terminated, and if the identified processing is not "End Remote
Input", then the process proceeds back to step S7001, and the next
input key information is received.
[0213] Next, the portable telephone terminal 200 according to the
fourth embodiment will be described.
[0214] The portable telephone terminal 200 according to the fourth
embodiment has the same functions as those in the first embodiment,
and further, a function of performing an input assisting process is
additionally provided. A program describing the input assisting
process is shown in FIG. 18 and previously stored in the memory
section 220 of the portable telephone terminal 200. After a
predetermined key operation is carried out or after the data
acquired from the Web server 400 is delegated to the designated
delegate destination (step S5005 in FIG. 10), the program is
started to execute an indirect input process specific to the fourth
embodiment to delegate input key information to the delegate
destination.
[0215] After execution of a predetermined key operation or delegate
of data to the delegate designation, this input assisting process
is automatically started, whereby input key information continues
to be delegated to the portable information terminal 100 that is
the delegate destination until a specific key (key "0" in the
present embodiment) is operated.
[0216] The remote input conversion table used in the fourth
embodiment is adapted to receive simple input key information and
map proper processing contents in correspondence to the input key
information. The information transmitted from the portable
telephone terminal 200 may include various parameter information
other than the input key information. For example, input
information containing text information for input to a text input
box may be delegated from the portable telephone terminal 200.
Further, a protocol for delivering more complex information may be
implemented.
[0217] Furthermore, although in the fourth embodiment, the remote
input process is performed on the portable information terminal 100
by the portable telephone terminal 200, if the data processing is
delegated to the note-type PC 1001, the MP3 player 1002, or the
network storage 1003, the remote input process may be performed on
these devices.
[0218] It is to be understood that the object of the present
invention may also be accomplished by supplying a system or an
apparatus such as a portable information terminal and a portable
telephone terminal, with a medium in which a program code of
software which realizes the functions of any of the above described
embodiments is stored, and causing a computer (or CPU or MPU) of
the system or apparatus to read out and execute the program code
stored in the medium.
[0219] In this case, the program code itself read from the medium
realizes the functions of the embodiment, and hence the medium on
which the program code is stored constitutes the present
invention.
[0220] Examples of the medium for supplying the program code
include a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, an optical
magnetic disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a CD-RW, DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, a
DVD-RW, a DVD+RW, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a
ROM, and a server computer connected to a network for communication
therewith.
[0221] Further, it is to be understood that the functions of any of
the above described embodiments may be accomplished not only by
executing a program code read out by a computer, but also by
causing an OS (operating system) or the like which operates on the
computer to perform a part or all of the actual operations based on
instructions of the program code.
[0222] Further, it is to be understood that the functions of any of
the above described embodiments may be accomplished by writing a
program code read out from the storage medium into an expansion
board inserted into a computer or a memory provided in an expansion
unit connected to the computer and then causing a CPU or the like
provided in the expansion board or the expansion unit to perform a
part or all of the actual operations based on instructions of the
program code.
[0223] As described above in details, according to the first
through fourth embodiments, the portable telephone terminal 200 is
provided with the function of delegating data processing, the
portable information terminal 100 is provided with the waiting
server function, and the portable telephone terminal 200 and the
portable information terminal 100 cooperate to process data, out of
data acquired from the Web server 400 by the portable telephone
terminal 200, that is difficult to process by the portable
telephone terminal 200, whereby a high performance processing
function can be realized.
* * * * *